


careless and free like animals

by akamine_chan



Series: Honey Badger [2]
Category: due South
Genre: Animal Transformation, Honey Badger, M/M, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-09
Updated: 2012-06-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 09:57:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/429741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akamine_chan/pseuds/akamine_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fraser had a split-second warning in the form of a low, threatening growl before 10 kilograms of Ray-as-honey badger latched onto his boot with disturbing ferocity, powerful claws digging into the tough leather.  Fraser stumbled, off-balance, hand slapping against the wall to keep from squashing Ray underfoot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	careless and free like animals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hazelwho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelwho/gifts).



> Written for my beloved Hazel-rah's birthday. 
> 
> Collaboration and beta by Andeincascade.
> 
> Title from _The Animal Song_ by Savage Garden.
> 
> Ande recorded the story as an awesome podfic [mp3](http://www.mediafire.com/?edqi6s6kdkz1eah) and [m4b](http://www.mediafire.com/?pqb9iplbs25il25). Please tell her how awesome she is.

Fraser had a split-second warning in the form of a low, threatening growl before 10 kilograms of Ray-as-honey badger latched onto his boot with disturbing ferocity, powerful claws digging into the tough leather. Fraser stumbled, off-balance, hand slapping against the wall to keep from squashing Ray underfoot.

Looking down, Fraser stared bemusedly at Ray worrying at the sole of his boot with extremely sharp teeth, stumpy tail wagging. Carefully, he lowered his leg, rubbing at the coarse fur on Ray's belly with his foot. Fraser had to hide a smile at the happy little chuffing sounds Ray made.

“Well, now,” he said, trying to coax Ray off his boot. “What a fierce, blood-thirsty predator we have here. I am fearing for my safety and my life.”

Dief, who’d decided to stay home with Ray, snorted disdainfully from his comfortable spot on the couch.

“Yes, because you, too, are a dangerous predator, hunting feral Ho-Hos and Twinkies. Really, Dief,” Fraser said, clicking his tongue. “The wildlife here in Chicago is imperiled by your very presence.”

Ray scuttled out from under Fraser’s foot and sat back on his haunches, wiggling his forepaws demandingly at Fraser. Fraser tipped Ray onto his back and spun him around like a top, chuckling when Ray chittered at him before staggering dizzily around.

The living room was a mess of dog—badger—toys. Sometimes, usually after a tough case, Ray stayed home to 'Get his freak on' which Fraser took to mean that he needed to commune with the the animal side of his nature. Which usually meant that Ray and Dief played tug-of-war with the rope toy and chased each other around the apartment before napping.

Occasionally Ray just needed to turn off his human brain to keep from circling around to useless regrets and recriminations. Ray was a good cop, one of the best in Chicago, and sometimes he took things to heart. It was his greatest strength, and his greatest weakness.

Fraser crouched down and ran his hand roughly through Ray's fur. "So, shall I call the Dragon Palace for take-out and see if Wang Chi can stop by the pet store to pick up some crickets, or are you going to join me in having some General Tsao's Chicken and Szechuan Beef?"

Ray's honey badger shape bloomed upward into his much more beloved form. "Spring rolls?"

"Of course."

Ray smiled. "Thanks, Ben." He leaned in for a kiss, soft and sweet.

"Feeling better?"

Shrugging, Ray got to his feet and pulled Fraser with him. "I'm not going to beat myself up over it anymore. I did the best I could."

"No one could have done more," Fraser said. It was important for Ray to realize that. "We shall have Wang Chi bring us spring rolls and ice cream and we will make Dief get off the couch and we'll watch the Leafs thoroughly trounce the Blackhawks."

Ray had the nerve to look offended. "Are you fucking kidding me? There's no way the Leafs are gonna win!"

"Double or nothing?" Ray still owed him a rather large amount of air.

"You're on, Ben." Rubbing his hands together gleefully, Ray pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial for the Dragon Palace. "Be prepared to lose."

Fraser just smiled.

-fin-

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] careless and free like animals](https://archiveofourown.org/works/429773) by [Andeincascade (Ande)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ande/pseuds/Andeincascade)




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